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Kraken Coffee Stout – ABV 7.4%

This monster is made with cold-brewed coffee, but features a subtle creaminess to add to warming roasted malts that makes it stand out other coffee stouts.

Look: Kraken Coffee Stout pours with a nice light brown head and subtle carbonation.

Aroma: Juts like a latte with three sugars in it.

Taste: There’s none of the suggested sweetness, just lots of roasted malt and coffee.

Food pairing: It works really well alongside the creaminess of an ice-cream or pannacotta. Feeling adventurous? Try pouring it over vanilla ice-cream like an affogato.

Verdict: This Kraken is a beast we would happily face again.

Bloed, Zweet & Tranen Smoked Stout – ABV 8.2%

Rich and luxurious, this De Molen stout’s smoky caramel sweetness immediately brings to mind the peat of a Laphroaig whisky.

Aroma: Malt and that peaty smoke, toffee and chocolate.

Taste: The smokey sweetness is nicely balanced with flavours of roasted malt, chocolate and caramel to give a beer that’s extremely drinkable.

Food Pairings: This beer is big on flavour, and demands strong flavours to match. Try it with a few squares of dark rich chocolate.

Verdict: De Molen love ageing beer in spirit barrels, and Bloed, Zweet & Tranen (Blood, Sweat & Tears) is a perfect example. You can taste the hard work and care that has gone into it to give it its name.

Old Ford Export Stout – ABV 7.5%

Columbus hops guide this London-born Stout through a sea of full-bodied coffee and dark chocolate, with some roasted barley bitterness, sweet malts and spiciness.

Look: This is borderline black IPA territory: an inky black cola-coloured pour with a creamy brown head.

Nose: A rich malt backdrop hosts espresso, burned toffee, dark chocolate, treacly molasses and a hint of cherry.

Taste: Complex and full-bodied thanks to the Columbus and Simcoe hops. Layers of sweetness, including cherry and forest fruits, sit on top of roasted barley bitterness. Under that comes earthy spice before a long, lingering rich and toasted malt finish.

Verdict: Much like one of my old favourite TV shows, The Big Breakfast, which was filmed in the Old Ford area, this is as full of character as Johnny Vaughan, as lovely as Denise Van Outen – and easily enjoyed every day of the week.

Polygraph – ABV 7.4%

Rich, smooth and malty on the palate yet with a crisp hoppy finish, this full-flavoured stout packs a lot of fruit, coffee and chocolate into just 7.4% ABV.

Look: Pours a hazy brown with creamy tan head that lasts and fair lacing.

Aroma: Waves of dark stone fruits with some citrus accents, chocolate and rich espresso.

Taste: Deep rich mocha coffee with roasted malts and notes of toffee and chocolate plus more stone fruits such as berries and cherries. Crispens up at the finish with some dry hop bitterness dry. Smooth mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Verdict: With the Polygraph, we cannot tell a lie – it’s delicious. Full of flavour and character and it’s only 7.4% – that’s almost session material.

Sublime Chaos Breakfast Stout – ABV 7%

The ‘Best Stout in Europe’ at the World Beer Awards 2015, this huge sticky breakfast stout is made with Ethiopian coffee beans and dry crisp New Zealand hops.

Look: Black pour with a thick pale tan head on top and average carbonation.

Aroma: Loads of rich black coffee and mocha, plus some chocolate and roasted malts.

Taste: Again plenty of coffee and chocolate with the roasted malts coming through stronger. A nice balance of caramel and toffee, nutty sweetness and dry bitter finish in a medium body.

Verdict: Sublime? Absolutely. Chaos? I’m not sure about that. I think these guys knew exactly what they were doing – and it seems like the World Beer Awards 2015 think so too.

Automaton IPA – ABV 7%

Breakfast Stout – ABV 7.4%

Abbeydale: Lost Souls – ABV 10.0%

Russian Imperial Stout

Deep and complex brew with a hefty malt bill – so big we had to mash in twice! Packed full of Galaxy, Chinook, Centennial and Columbus hops.

This beer will only get better with age.

Magic Rock : Bearded Lady Dessert Edition – ABV 10%

Bearded Lady Imperial Stout Bourbon aged Stout with Cacao Nibs, Vanilla & Cinnamon

Six month Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrel aged version of the double-mashed imperial stout Bearded Lady.

The barrel ageing softens the beer adding rich bourbon, sweet vanilla and a hint of oak. Dessert Edition is further aged with additions of Venezuelan Cacao Nibs, Madagascan Vanilla and Indian Cinnamon, adding satisfying chocolate flavours and a hint of spice.

Powerful, robust, intriguing, yet decadently smooth and sumptuous.

Double Nightmare on Bold Street – ABV 8.5%

This is an imperial version of our coffee milk stout, with twice the coffee. You will not sleep tonight!